The Doctor Stands
by InsertCatchyPsuedonym
Summary: The Doctor is kidnapped, who could rise from his ashes. An evil he has already faced, himself. Rated T for some violence-ish, I'm just being safe.-Temoprary Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor Stands

**I saw the 50****th**** anniversary, and the painting gave me this idea, but I'll have you know that the story boarding was awful, it took a lot of paper to build this thing and I think I'm a little proud of what I've come up with. This is kind of a crossover between the entirety of the Doctor Who spin-offs, including Torchwood and The Sarah-Jane Adventures. I thought that I was going to cry at one point in writing this.**

**I challenge anyone who reads this, to make a variation of this and PM me where to find the story, and I'll read it and give a review. I read something like this storyboard, which is the story that inspired me to write this, and it didn't continue very far. It left me hanging, which really made me mad, because it was a great idea, and it was really negative. I warn you though, there are serious Spoiler Alerts all over the story, so you have to watch all the new "who", series one through seven, and the 50****th**** anniversary and Christmas special.**

**This part of the story uses the Twelfth Doctor's image .So without further rambling I'll give you the prologue…**

**_Line Break_**

"Oh, Doctor, I really have a bad feeling about this…" River Song, the Doctor's lovely wife, and future continual savior, gave him worried expression.

"I've been there as a child, it can't have changed that much, the Tellers were friends of the Time Lords last time I checked, and they told me that when I reach this age, I need to see them again." He relayed, his eyes gave an odd tint when mentioning the species."The Tellers are a race whose home world sits by a rift in time, giving them the ability to look into time itself constantly, and they are able to tell someone's "fortune" as a human might say."

They both piloted the TARDIS with ease and made a perfect landing."Best landing yet I might say, sweetie." River held her trademark, flirty smile, and the Doctor threw his smile back.

"If you're so worried, stay in the TARDIS and I'll keep a device so you can watch me, if something goes wrong, you can get help ."

"I really don't think that's a very good idea…" She looked at him as they made their way to the stairs.

"Well it's the only consolation I've got, and if you have a bad feeling it may be very bad, you'll be able to get back-up, and help me if I need it, because I really don't want to put you in danger like that." He paused and looked her in the eyes, with his ancient ones," You're all I've got left now, and many have said I should never travel alone."

She took a breath,"Alright, be careful sweetie.", and gave him a hug, and a peck on the cheek. As he opened the door, he looked back and smiled, and went on his way, he didn't, nor would he ever expect what would happen on the other side.

_Line Break_

"No, no, no, no, no, DOCTOR!" River yelled, running toward the doors to see, a pack of brutes, presumably the Tellers, pick up the Doctor, put a cloth over his mouth, he looks at River with a worried expression and goes limp. The guards finally notice River and try to catch her, as she's teleported to Earth, a kindness from the TARDIS, in preparation on what's to come.

_Line Break_

The scream reverberated all across time and space to all the Doctor's friends, allies, coworkers, and companions, his only plead for help, he knew what was to come. The fall of the Doctor, he thought he could prevent this, this one, horrible thing, one that could turn him into a vengeful god, and ruin his life's legacy. His scream, that heart wrenching, mournful, scared scream, shook the very threads of reality.

Any who cared listened, and heard, all were ready to help, little did the Doctor know, it sounded into all universes, even to his own people. The one time they all got to return the favor. The one time, everyone lived, including himself.

_Line Break_

As it happened, a long ways away, tucked into another universe, the Time Lords were listening, after the hope he gave them; it was their job to return that hope, and prevent the horrid to pass. The Universe could be lenient this one time, to help the one, kind man who kept its inhabitants safe and really, just existing within reality.

The council was debating how they were going to go about helping replenish the numbers they so desperately needed, when the sonorous cry rapped on the doors of the Time Lords telepathic connection. All of the session members looked at each other, all hearing, all wanting the same intention. None of them would be here, debating, helping their own kind, as well as the origin of the cry's people. They all scowled, wondering what would be scaring him, what would be so bad that he had reached to them, knowing that it was nearly impossible to help him, but they dared to help, the fear poured into this, one, single sound, had even knocked fear into their own, powerful, minds.

The Lord in President, was most affected, her best friend, pleading for help. Romanadvoratrelundar, or to most humans and the Doctor known as, Romana, looked at her colleagues and knew exactly what she must do.

"My fellow Time Lords, I say we must do something, but I WILL need help, all in favor?" She asked, but there wasn't any doubt in her mind that they wouldn't agree.

"Aye!" They had agreed, and it was only a matter of time before they acted.

_Line Break_

"AH" The Doctor sprang awake, trying to reach his face to see what was obscuring his vision, but his hands were bound. Face down on some glass like flooring, pain was ripping through his nerves, burning like acid in his veins. Then, his plea released, a scream, anguish spilling into the room. His body felt different, like he was in one of his earlier ones, as he confirmed it was his earlier one. A lanky one, this body was particularly fragile, thin bones, and little fat around his bones to keep him warm and a bit more resilient.

"Oh Doctor, how long have waited for this day. Your people were such an arrogant race; finally we learn their secrets to time travel, so we are reborn into this universe, as watchers and controllers. We no longer live in the shadow of your people; we will finally bring the _Valeyard_ into our hands. Do you even remember what, or should I say who, he is?" The feminine voice got closer and knelt beside him, and removed the cloth stopping his vision.

As he observed his surroundings, he noticed he was a temple of some sorts, and atop that, the Time Lord was half-naked. The tall, Gallifreyan symbols covered the beautiful temples, all meanings different, but converges on the same concept. Rebirth, but not the good kind, the fall of the pure hearted, fall of the one with only good intentions, one to turn into the evil in its worst kind and form. What surprised him was they were all in ceremonial gold, but looked as if there was a silver tint in the mix. The temple in itself was a ruby, glass type floor making up the entire temple.

The woman who removed his mask was a dark one, her hair was black, her cloak was black, her eyes were black, but her skin was a pale grey, like a demon. The Doctor looked down to the floor at the mention of the past enemy or future self, or whatever the hell the _Valeyard _was.

"We have found our means to turn you into your worst, what will you do when the time comes, Time Lord?"

"You are meddling with timelines that should never be touched, do you know the consequences of this? All of the death you will bring yourself!" His voice rose by every word that he spoke.

"Ha, what does death mean to me, you will make me and my people immortal, there will be no death that can befall upon me after I finish with you?" She literally spat as she left him to his agony and mind to occupy him.

_Line Break_

**I know how some of the characters are "incorrect", but they are just character fillers.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter! Whooohooo, yea. I like continuing this story, it's fun really. I'm sorry Doc, but you're going to be in some pain for a couple chapters…Spoilers…**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

><p>When the teleport stopped, River noticed that she was in Cardiff, Wales. An elegant eyebrow rose at the TARDIS' decision, but she remembers one of the Doctor's closest friends, Jack Harkness, resides in the city under the rift. Torchwood was and is an odd organization, one of its largest branches, Torchwood One, had been destroyed a while back. A large part of Torchwood Three's crew was lost on the turn of the millennia.<p>

The dear half-Time Lady navigated to the tourist office, where she remembered where one of the members guarded the door to the secret organization. An off thought of hers was how incognito Torchwood had become, almost the instant a certain Time Agent joined.

She entered the small shop and rang the bell on the desk. A tall and well dressed man entered the room through a curtain of beads and asked, "Yes?"

"Sorry to disturb you, but this is really a matter of severe importance. I mean you no harm, I need to see Jack Harkness, and quickly, my husband's life is on the line."

"One quick question," He breathed in noticeably, "How do you know about Jack and where he's located?" Ianto inquired, trying to keep his boyfriends enemies in check, was tedious at times.

"My husband was, and still is, a close friend of Jack's, from what I hear." She purred.

"Who might your husband be?" His eyes narrowed.

"We might want to take this in inside, its sensitive information. Please?"

"Fine…" Ianto, as his name tag read, got up and flipped the sign on the door to closed, and locked the door.

* * *

><p>They entered through the cog doors, to a gun pointed at the beautiful Time Lady, but she seemed unfazed.<p>

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, my husband might get mad if he hears you of all people cost me my last life." Mischievousness was shining brightly in River's eyes. She walked up the stairs and put her hand out to shake.

"You still haven't answered my question from earlier, who is your husband?" Ianto pushed, irritably.

"Haven't figured it out all ready, I'm disappointed in you Torchwood." Seductive humor glistened in her eyes.

"He married you?!" Our fine captain said, finally getting out of his shock, realization hitting him like a weevil. He returned the hand shake, but with a little more squeeze than necessary.

"Jealous?" She said as she let go of the false intimate exchange. She walked around a little to survey her new territory.

"Maybe, maybe not." Jack's eyebrows just raised a smidgen. He followed her on her short journey, and her new destination, the conference room.

"You should be, he's surprisingly amazing in bed." Owen snorted at the strange woman's antics. The mood had become oddly awkward and tense in a few seconds. The group made it to the conference room and started seating themselves.

"Now you're just teasing!" He said as he politely pushed in the Time Lady's chosen seat, then he proceeded to sit across from her and beside Ianto.

"Of course I am he wouldn't have married me any other way. Plus the same species thing helps too. I don't think he's really into humans that much." She started to get comfy in the chair as she laid back.

"Time Lady."

"Yes~"

"Can somebody tell me what's fucking going on here?" The first one to lose patience at their bickering was Owen.

"Sorry, really off track. Doctor River Song."She said as she shook their hands.

"You took the name?" Jack hugged River, and kissed her on the cheek.

"No, I earned it, just like he did. Only I didn't go through 75 Gallifreyan Years of Gallifreyan schooling. I can't exactly take his name, he said River Lungbarrow didn't have the same ring to it anyway."

"He actually earned a doctorate; I thought it was just a name or a funny title of his planet."

"It's a little of all that, plus some extras, but yes, I guess he did get his degrees in Temporal Physics, Gallifreyan Medicine, and History Teaching, though he never did get that TARDIS license."

"Gods, and I travelled with him in that thing…" Jack commented, mortified at the new information.

"She guides him most of the time. You know how close they are."

"We're still out of the loop, aren't we?" Ianto finally unable to tolerate being left out of the quick conversation spoke up.

"Yes we do need to make hasty action if we want to get him out of the mess he's gotten himself into." Her once humorous smile morphed into a look of seriousness, anxiety, and fatigue. Torchwood noticed the façade had fallen and her current demeanor finally shone through, but this helped the agents to see the severity of the situation.

"What is it this time and please don't tell me Daleks, we're not equipped to something so dangerous." Jack got serious as well. With his mood changing, the entire room became focused on the strange woman's tiring tale.

Explaining the sudden kidnapping of a particular Time Lord was more taxing than River anticipated. She introduced herself and her absent husband and gave a brief history of the recent past events, as regeneration and losing two of his closest friends, Amy and Rory Pond (Williams). She added that these events had taken their toll on his will and strength, his morals and meanings were becoming blurred, his fight to keep humanity alive and flourishing would come to an utter halt if he didn't get his act together.

"I need a hot bath so I'll be back tomorrow to give you more info on the kidnappers. Call Martha and see if she could help. Even with this special Time Lord blood, it doesn't help with something on such a massive scale." The shadows of her curly hair made her eyes look even more downcast than before.

"Of course, be safe. You never know what might happen." Jacks protective side was already showing to his new acquaintance.

"How could I not be, being around him naturally gives you better senses…", and with that she left the Hub.

An awkward silence filled the room until Owen finally asked, "How the hell did you know she is married to the Doctor, it seemed like you've never met her before."

"I saw his old Sonic Screwdriver in her pocket, it looked like it was about to fall apart." He was lying through his teeth, Owen knew he was, but he didn't want to push his boss. Jack let out a sigh before saying, "Go get some rest and I'll call up some acquaintances of his."

* * *

><p>Mrs. Dr. River Song found a particularly nice hotel to crash in, a large one bed room, with a view of the Thames. One of the greater things about the room was the en suite bathroom with a hot tub, instead of a regular old shower. The Doctor had taken her here for their twentieth anniversary, and quite frankly he had out done himself. That night and the four that followed were relaxing, not taxing.<p>

She let herself indulge on the hot tub, and while doing so her phone, in which she always kept near, rang. She answered with a simple "Hello?"

"This is River right. Sorry, River Song?" A young, female's voice on the other side of the line.

"Yes and who might this be?"

"Clara Oswald, a pleasure to finally meet the Doctor's wife in person."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I actually posted another chapter…<strong>

**Major writer's block this time, but I made it. I had half of this done, and high school became a problem. Christmas is coming, so maybe it'll be easier to post a couple more chapters.**

**If you see any mistakes that are major, or even minor ones, tell me. I'll be able to fix them.**

**I don't know about you guys, but it seems like I'm repeating certain words and it agitates me for some odd reason, if you have any idea how to ease this tell me, cause I don't know how much long I can take this. Dammit, I did it again…**

**I know it's kinda short but writers block is holding me up.**

**Kea**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry if this gets on really late, the internet is real S #* now, like 50mbps bad. Not kidding. Frontier can burn in H&%$ now, I've been updating everything at school woo-hoo fiber optics, wish I could afford that. At least I'm trying to work on this my homework is a lost cause…**

**Well this chapter will hopefully get this story on a roll, it's pretty stagnant now.**

**On with the story~**

Key

"Speech"

"_Telepathy"_

"_**Gallifreyan"**_

**~With the Doctor(POV)~**

I don't think I've experienced this much pain in a long time, which is saying something. Rassilon, who knew that the people I thought of as peaceful people were quite violent?

I can feel the poison they gave me rip its way into my immune system. They had whipped me earlier and my wounds were opening and the poison is like acid in my wounds, I can feel tears at the edges of my eyes. I want to just give up and let the Valeyard take over, but River's voice is in the back of my head screaming that I shouldn't.

I don't think I can hold on for much longer. Hearing River's voice yell at me, in the back of… my… No, that's not the back of my head. I look over, I have to crane my head, and the black at the corners of my vision obscured her otherwise. She had a… team? Is that _Torchwood?_ Wow, she's a lot more capable than I give her credit for.

The Valeyard wants out badly now that he sees her and I can't fight him off any longer, but I _have_ to keep River safe.

She stuns, what an odd method for her, the guards and the ones operating on me, but it's too late, all the markings on the, ironically, beautiful temple were back, but turning back to their pervious silver.

River, along with Jack and the rest of Torchwood, ran up the stairs. At least I had a "Kilt" like thing around my waist to keep my dignity.

"Well, going back a regeneration, are we?" River winked at me, but I hadn't the strength to look up. The markings are turning black again. Markings on my chest were appearing, inky like a tattoo, but they stung constantly.

"River I'm sorry, but you have to run away from me this time, not with me." I gathered the last of my strength to put my head on her shoulder as she hugged me. One of the _Torchwood _team, Toshiko I believe, attempted to get the chains off me.

"What… I don't get it." Her eyes held confusion and despair, her heart was aching at the sight. The thought that I was giving up so quickly, was starting to worry her.

"You know full well I keep many secrets from you yet, you may know one of the most important things about me, but not some of the more_ dangerous_ things about me. I mentioned to you before, the _Valeyard, _yeah? These people are trying to yank that thing out of me and I can't stop it." Suddenly my chest started hurting. "River, follow my instructions this once. Run and run like you've never before. The _Valeyard _will go after the ones I love the _most _first."

"You know I can't run from you." She pulled away from the hug and my face in her hands. "It's been so long since I've seen this face of yours."

"They picked this one of my many regenerations, because of my renowned temper, plus of course it's my thirteenth regeneration even if I said it was my eleventh." A bell at the top of the temple started chiming, like a clock tower bell. The pain in my chest spread to my abdomen. I try to curl in on myself, but the chains prevented me from doing so, but I managed to fall out of River's hands. "If you wanted to help me there is one option, only one, but I know you'll refuse."

I smell something familiar. It's almost as if it's lost to me. What is it? "Time Lords?"

Jack looked up at me, "What Doctor?"

"I smell Time Lords, but why, they're still Time Locked in the status cube." The door at the entrance of the room slammed open, and a group of Time Lords and Ladies flooded in. A Lord and a Lady ran up the stairs. The Time Lord had mid-length black hair, a beard that was a mix between intimidating and hilarious at the same time, he was wearing typical Time Lord soldier uniform. The Time Lady however was ornately dressed in a long flowing robe or dress like clothing. She had long blonde hair that was like a river of gold cascading past the small of her back.

"Brax…Romana, what in Rassilon's name are you doing here?" The TARDIS' cloister bells began to chime, joining the bells at the top of the tower.

Why am I regenerating? It looks black for some reason, the stuff that I expel when I regenerate.

"Come on we have to leave him for now!" Romana grabbed Jack and River, while Brax got hold of the rest of _Torchwood._

"_Thank you, Romana."_

"_You're welcome Theta, but we are coming back."_

"…"

Therest of the Time Lords that came ran with Romana. They left the room finally. I can let go now, _Valeyard_.

~ **Third person POV~**

"Run faster River, we won't make it to my TARDIS fast enough." The bells rang louder suddenly, and crashing noises were coming from the room we just left. A tri-tone scream was let out and a wave of despair, sadness, and madness swept all who were near.

The odd group made it to Romana's TARDIS, with much confusion from Team _Torchwood._

"How does it blend into its environment like that, Doc's never did that?" Jack hoped up the stairs an examined his new surroundings as the other Time Lords piloted the TARDIS.

"His is supposed to do that, but it's old and she won't let him fix the damned Chameleon Circuit."

"Okay who's gonna explain this to the rest of us?" One of _Torchwood_'s operatives, Owen, finally questioned the hectic crew of Gallifreyans.

"Let's discuss this over tea, I'm starving, I don't know about you guys." Brax and the rest of the Time Lords that were scrambling around the TARDIS stepped back and looked like they agreed.

"Time Lords. Always focusing on food." Romana added as she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly, dear Lady in President." A new Time Lady pitched in. She folded her hands behind her back as the group made its way to the kitchen.

"Patience, I didn't know you came along."

"I needed to get out of the Panopticon." The Time Lady, as we now know as Patience, looked a little depressed.

They made it to the kitchen and two tables were set out. Most of the Time Lords that the group hadn't met were on the other table while _Torchwood_, River, Patience, Romana, and Brax sat at one table.

"I can't believe how old my brother is now and I was the older brother." Brax complained.

"Wait, are you the _Doctor's_ brother?" Jack took a bite of a biscuit and had some of Ianto's heavenly coffee.

"Yeah, the little bastard never learns. The Council told him to never visit the Tellers, and look at what he does." Brax had a little thing that was defiantly not of Earth origin and a cup of Earl Grey. "And guess what else, that really pretty lady, Patience, was my brother's wife. When I say wife, it was an arranged marriage, not you know… erh… kissy, kissy." Patience looked up at the mention of her name and raised an elegant eyebrow from where she was standing, making her tea.

"Wow, didn't know he was actually married to someone when I met him." Jack shrugged at the thought of the Doctor being domestic.

Romana finally sat down with a plate with a couple scones and a cup of Earl Grey, which smelled a lot stronger than Brax's, "How did you find him anyway, from my knowledge Earth doesn't have time travel yet."

"Clara Oswald, one of his former companions, called me to tell me the activation code to Jack's vortex manipulator. Jack's not really from the twentieth century and neither am I. He was part of the Time Agency from what I've heard from the Doctor." River's connections never cease to amaze anyone but the Doctor.

"Yea I actually passed my Temporal Physics exam and earned one of these bad boys." Jack raised his wrist to show off his achievement. "This isn't the original one though, the one I got from the exam was a lot better than this one, I think John stole it from me…"

"I think he did, and sold it to me. I have a Vortex Manipulator that was the same model as the one you graduated with. I left it on the Doctor's TARDIS." River spoke with an amused tone laced within it. She winked at Jack as he looked horrified at the new revelation. "What, I needed transportation, I sold it for a pair of explosive disarming earrings, I put micro-explosives in Dovarian's drink. Maybe it was a bit of blackmail, but I got a Vortex Manipulator, didn't I?" River's smile was infectious as everyone at the table smiled, even Patience.

"You have quite the infamous record don't you, ." Patience looked at River with happy eyes.

"He didn't really want me to take the Lungbarrow name, so I just stuck with River Song. We both thought River Song was better." She said, contemplating the name Lungbarrow.

"I thought so too, but I dealt with it until the kids were born. I still think my family name is cooler than his."

"Probably. I hated the name that's why I changed it when I graduated Academy." Brax butted in as he finished his snack. "Also I needed an incognito name for when I travelled off planet."

"Where are we headed anyway, I mean we can't really just be floating around in space." Ianto questioned the Captain of the mission.

"I thought it would be better to head to Gallifrey to regroup, as the Doctor will be very powerful when he loses control of the _Valeyard_. His powers are hard to match, but I but I think I can find someone to calm him down."

"What is the _Valeyard_ anyway, you keep mentioning it but we never can collect what it means." Gwen spoke up, asking the question the rest of the team had asked in their heads.

"It's quite difficult to explain. The _Valeyard_ is a form of the Doctor's soul, something he keeps well hidden, but sometimes you'll get to see a small fraction of this persona. All of his negative emotions, personified and given a chance to rampage, he could cause mass destruction. You would recognize him as the Oncoming Storm. With the Doctor's intelligence, and the will to back it, he could tear down the universe with a wave of his hand. The Tellers want to harness this power and use it against the universe and lock it under their chosen rule." Romana picked up her pup and took a sip of the now cold liquid.

"A great while back the _Valeyard _appeared and caused a large amount of trouble for the Doctor and even killed one of his very dear friends. We managed to contain him, but barely at that.

Something not very many people know about him, is this isn't his first life. I'm not talking about regenerations, I mean reincarnation.

A long time ago in Gallifreyan history there was a trio of absolute geniuses. Rassilon, Omega, and the Other worked tirelessly to create time travel. Centuries later, Omega sacrificed himself to a supernova in the name of his research, and it wasn't in vain. We now had TARDISes and we called ourselves Time Lords. But in the end, Rassilon was jealous of the Other, because Rassilon wanted all the fame and fortune that came with inventing time travel, and chased the Other all over Gallifrey, but never found him.

Centuries and millennia passed and he still couldn't find the Doctor. Rumors and stories among the air said he threw himself into one of another family's looms, to later come back as a mere child. Some say he died of old age and was resurrected later. Many recognized the enigmatic, genius we know as the Doctor, as the Other. The Other was well-known for his mischievousness and ingenious pranks, and the Doctor fit the description well.

In school I had asked him about it and later that week he pulled me aside and asked if I could keep a secret. He told me that he had memories and knowledge that he couldn't have had that young, and remembered being called the Other's original name. Showed me memories and a life that couldn't have existed at the time. He was the Other, an amazingly powerful Time Lord, able to manipulate time and space with little to no trouble under certain circumstances. He could make the entire room lose hope to ever compete to him. His mind was vast and strong, the greatest of all Time Lord and Gallifreyan history.

I suppose I should be grateful for him to tell me, he needed to tell someone about it, but not just anyone, a person who could keep a secret. Rassilon was nearing the end of his reign in Presidency so he would still go after the Other. Even if he was a mere child he thought it would be worth being able to keep all the glory.

With something as vile and evil as the _Valeyard_ having that much power, the universe will shiver in its sleep."

The entire room, even the other table turned to listen to the President's tale, and was in shock at the new information. River looked down in dismay as she finished her Champaign.

"Don't get me wrong, the Doctor is an amazing man willing to give up anything and everything to save and keep safe the things and people he loves. The _Valeyard_ however could mean the exact opposite."

One of the Time Lords, who had left a little after Romana's long tale, ran into the room. "My Lady, we have arrived, but not in the Panopticon, in the far east side of the Valley of Peace. It will be a short walk to the capital."

All of the living beings riding the TARDIS put away the dishes and clambered out of the time machine, starting their trip to the Time Lord capital.

"You didn't tell us it would be this cold." Jack complained as he took in the now restored, beautiful landscape.

One sun was rising as the other was at midday point, as the second sun rose over the glistening mountain. The silver trees looked as if they were on fire, the brilliant orange grass exaggerating the faux flames. On the opposite side of the doors of Romana's TARDIS was a large snow globe like structure, with tall towering buildings encased inside. The twin suns made the glass glisten in the orange hue. _Torchwood_ stood in awe at the majesty of the beautiful, ethereal planet.

"Hurry, the faster we regroup, the easier it will be to calm the Doctor." Ironically, Patience said this.

They hurried across the meadow, to find that the Panopticon, as tall and grand as it was, wasn't able to compare to the natural beauty of the large planet. As the group drew closer to the capital, they were able to see small figures putting glass in where it had been broken before.

They made their way across a long bridge, where they noticed that the Panopticon wasn't sitting on anything it was suspended by the bridges they were standing on.

"What's down there?" Gwen asked, slightly disturbed by the new revelation.

"A black hole suspended, and used as a power source for the Panopticon and about half of Gallifrey." One of the nondescript Time Lords spoke up, this one had long, black hair, with half of it tied up in what looked like a bun.

"I am the Doctor's eldest son, Zeref."

"Wow aren't you cute!" Jack's inner flirt was finally showing.

"I sorry to break the news to you, but I'm married, and it isn't arranged."

"Damn…"River snickered at the captain being shot down so quickly.

They reached the edge of the city to be met by eight guards.

"_**My lady, it is an honor to see you today after your mission. Did it go well?"**_ The deceptively young looking guard inquired as he guided the Lady in Presidency to the lift into the capital.

"_**So far so good I suppose, we still have a long ways to go." **_Romana replied with grace and respect for the hard working soldier and guard.

"_**And who might our guests be?" **_He led them out of a lift into a shining city, with bustle and conversing Time Lords around them. Some stared at the group of humans the Time Lady led and held questions like, _**"Are they the companions the President mentioned in the memo saying as to why she was leaving?" **_or _**"What are humans doing in the Citadel?"**_

They passed a choir singing to the public, wearing beautiful robes and cloaks.

"_**They are some friends and companions of the Doctor's, even a chosen lover from what I've heard." **_An audible snort came from River and the guard leading them to the Panopticon.

After a short walk through the crowds and bustle of the city, they finally reached the tallest and most ornate building they had seen in the entire city, which was saying something. Some of the buildings had suspended fountains with flowers hanging off the edge of some of the balconies. Others had sculptures and paintings of famous Time Lords, Jack spotted one of what he thought was the Tenth Doctor, but Romana said it was one of the later incarnations of the Other.

This building in particular was grand and mighty in its own sense. Black, red, gold, and orange curtains hung outside of the building, with a sculpture of what seemed to be a dragon of some sort at the top. In front of the building and surrounding it was a courtyard, with holograms and histories of the current council members, and even some of the greater previous ones. River pointed out an odd-looking, curly-haired man to be the Doctor's Fourth Regeneration. His was especially ornate as it had more of an unusual flower where the curtains and draperies met the ground.

The entrance to the capitol building wasn't as elaborate as the courtyard, but still had charm to it. The frame of the door was covered in carvings of and real life leaves, with Old High Gallifreyan adorning the top of the frame's arch. The door opened to a vast hall of which was vacated at the moment, but would usually hold many politicians talking about things other than work.

Up the stairs, into the lift, and to the highest level, other than the roof, they went in awe at the advanced society, Romana looked back at the humans, and felt a sense of pride at how she rebuilt the wonderful society into a greater glory, higher than it was before.

They entered a long hall with many doors, but one stood out above all the others. A high view of the commerce below, the windows held such magnificence of the oligarchy. A choir, most likely the one they saw earlier, could be heard all the way on the tip-top of the building.

"I can't believe the Doctor grew up with something like this. How does it compare to Earth?" Jack asked the Time Lords.

"This city wasn't always like this. When we were in school, this was a wretched town full of despair and hopelessness, the Doctor wanted to make it better than what he grew up with. He did in a way, his last year of Academy he ushered the Council to move to a different location. The Citadel hadn't always sat upon a black hole power source.

The little village with the Prydonian Academy sat opposite of the Valley of Peace. He wanted to watch the Eye of Harmony more closely. At the time, many were going missing when they checked up on it. So on one of his holidays, the Doctor, just a boy at the time mind you, sat before Rassilon and the intimidating council with a proclamation. Move the capital _on top_ of the Eye of Harmony, so the council will have all the power they need _and_ be able to watch over it with a close eye. We later found out that a Rift laid wide open over our beloved power source, sucking up the few who had the unlucky chance to be there when it decided to take whatever or whoever was near it."

"So you covered it and put the capital there?" Owen asked as he looked in the large windows.

"Yea, I never knew little Theta Sigma could do something so… significant. The small, timid kid that could barely talk to me or Koschei could do that. His Time Sense was impeccable, to be able to feel the Rift energy coming from the damned thing is a feat, even for a full-grown Time Lord, let alone a teenager."

They reached the doors, Romana and the guard opened the doors with little to no effort. In the even more ornate room lounged more Time Lords, who looked bored out of their minds.

"My Lady, you're back!" Jumped up one of the Time Ladies in the room. Then the rest followed suit, running up to Romana, Zeref, and Patience, asking questions about the mission so far.

"So these are little Theta's friends, why I never knew they would be so beautiful," as she winked at River, River smiled at the gracious comment, "or so handsome." She looked at Jack with a good-natured, motherly look.

"This is the Doctor's mother, the Woman, or as most of us calls her, Mother."

"I guess he took his good looks from you?" Jack's mischievousness shone through just a little too much.

"Maybe, but his father had good looks to spare, how do you think Braxiatel got that handsome?"

"Mother, please don't use my full name, you know I hate it…"

"That's why I still use it." She said as she light-heartedly punched his arm.

About an Earth hour later they settle down to talk about the circumstances of the mission. The lighthearted, relaxing atmosphere changed into one of seriousness and focused attention.

"We now know that the Tellers are bringing the _Valeyard_ into existence. Right now the Doctor is trying very hard to keep it from happening. However when we left, his resolve vanished, leaving us to help him as much as we can. As with our last encounter, he will be nearly impossible to contain. I believe that we can heal him afterward, and rehabilitate him to and able body.

Mother, I believe you will help in this case. The Doctor always had a soft spot for you, and I think parental instincts will help him come to his senses again."

"I'll try my hardest, but I can't guarantee anything as you know." She looked a little depressed, very unlike her earlier persona.

"I have another question for you River, who was that Clara Oswald girl that you mentioned earlier?"

"She was one of the Doctor's latest companions. She has helped him more than any of us, and she's feisty too. I love talking to her, she puts my husband in his place."

"I think we should contact her for help and insight on the situation." Romana put her advice on the table as she concluded the meeting. "You all need a rest from today's excitement, so I'll have some helpers or Untouchables to lay down some mats and blankets and we'll camp out here, sound okay?" The entire room agreed.

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><p><strong>Okay, well I have to say, that has to be one of the best chapters I've ever wrote. What do you think?<strong>

**If you have any comments, questions, or concerns PM me or use the Review thing if you like. Erh, this chapter was more of an apology present for the delayed chapter so be grateful, this most likely won't happen very often.**

**See any grammar mistakes, tell me cause my eyesight doesn't help my spell check ability.**

**Have a good day/evening/afternoon/morning!**

**Kea**


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